Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials

Gemma Tattersall

Great Britain

87 - Arctic Soul

Biography

British rider Gemma Tattersall (32) was a member of the team for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games (Quicklook). Last year at Badminton she was third with Arctic Soul. She made her senior championship debut at the 2015 European Championships at Blair Castle, finishing in 9th place with Arctic Soul.

Gemma is based at the purpose built yard of Tattleton Stud in Horsham. She is a member of the World Class squad and in 2014 represented GBR in the Nations Cup series.

Gemma relocated to Tattleton in 2009 from the riding school and livery yard (Hylands Yard) owned by her mother, where she had lived and learnt to ride from a young age. By the age of eight, Gemma had started to win in dressage and eventing. She progressed through the levels – she passed her Pony Club A test – and was a member of the British junior squad. In 2003 she took the ride on Jesters Quest and the following year the pair won the National Under-21 Championship and in 2005 & ‘06 Young Rider team gold medals. In 2007 the pair made its four-star debut completing both Badminton and Burghley. In 2009 she was given the ride on Kings Gem with who she won the Under-25 championship in 2010.

In 2013 with Arctic soul she was reserve for the British European team. In 2014 after an impressive cross country round at Badminton, the pair was unlucky to be eliminated for missing a flag at Huntsman’s Close – but were reserves for the British team for the WEG. In 2015 they placed 16th at Badminton and later made their senior championship debut at Blair Castle.

In 2015 she gained her first CIC3* win, at Burgham with Chico Bella and the in 2016 the pair won the CIC3* at Bramham. In 2015 with the then six-year-old Chilli’s Gem she won the Welton Romance trophy at the young horse championships, as the highest placed mare in the six-year-old championship (3rd) and in 2016 the pair finished 7th in CCI2* at the World Young Horse Championships .

Arctic Soul, owned by The Soul Syndicate, is a 14-year-old Irish-bred Thoroughbred. Bred by Michael Whitty he is by the National Hunt sire Luso (winner of the Italian Derby) out of a mare by Roi Danzig. Bred for the track he started four times without success and was then produced in eventing by Nicky Roncoroni and acquired for Gemma at the end of 2011.